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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25750297">Love Potion no. 7</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/MerlinLikeTheBird/pseuds/MerlinLikeTheBird'>MerlinLikeTheBird</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Merlin (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Attempt at Humor, Everyone knows about Merlin's magic other than Uther, Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts, Fluff, Jealous Merlin, Jealous Merlin (Merlin), Love Potion/Spell, M/M, Merlin's Magic Revealed (Merlin), Soulmates, True Love, True Love's Kiss, two sides of the same coin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 03:47:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,736</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25750297</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/MerlinLikeTheBird/pseuds/MerlinLikeTheBird</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>There are ears and eyes everywhere in Camelot, and everyone knows everyone's business. Well, almost. Well, maybe that too.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Merlin/Arthur Pendragon, Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>537</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Love Potion no. 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p> </p><p>Many princes, in Merlin’s experience, were not done any favors by the inbreeding. Visually speaking.</p><p class="indented">Unfortunately their ugly personalities usually didn’t make up for any physical lacking, either - rude, entitled, arrogant. Just to name a few. He could name many more faults, of course, but he was quite busy with trying to figure out what love potion or spell Arthur had managed to ingest this time.</p><p class="indented">He wished there were some <em>other</em> handsome princes for ladies to pick on for a while instead of Arthur. For example maybe if Prince Leofric were just a pinch more beautiful or just a tiny bit less obnoxious he could have been the one sighing mournfully while staring out his window instead of Arthur. Maybe <em>his</em> manservant would be the one trying to figure out how to break the spell put over <em>his</em> prince for a change, for the <em>seventh time this year come on this is getting </em><strong><em>ridiculous it’s only midsummer</em></strong><em>.</em></p><p class="indented">Merlin clenched his jaw as Arthur sighed again, slumping down even lower, miserable.</p><p class="indented">“If I cannot be with my love I might as well perish right now,” he said, a single tear spilling down his stupid face.</p><p class="indented">Merlin rolled his eyes before whacking himself in his own stupid face with his magic book a few times. <em>Thwack thwack thwack. </em>He wouldn’t usually dare have it out around Arthur, but the way he was now he didn’t notice anything at all that wasn’t Princess Cynburga.</p><p class="indented">He wasn’t without pity for her. <em>He</em> certainly wouldn’t want to marry any of the other lords here at the ball, lot of horrible brutes and smug little weasels that they were. Not to say that he would want to marry Arthur, either.</p><p class="indented">That would be absurd.</p><p class="indented">She probably just didn’t realise what a prat he was, poor girl, and fell for the first face that was, perhaps, not entirely hideous. Handsome, even, some might say. Some.</p><p class="indented">Not Merlin though.</p><p class="indented">He was getting nowhere with this. There were just too many love spells and potions in the world - who could possibly want love enough to kill and eat the still beating heart of a Hydra, for instance? Who <em>could? </em>Sure, he and Arthur had killed a Hyrda earlier that year -not that Arthur knew Merlin had done all of the work, only to be be unthanked, like always- but it seemed rather beyond the capabilities of most people. <em>I wouldn’t even kill a spider for Arthur</em>, Merlin thought to himself from his safe well of deep, deep denial.</p><p class="indented">There would be nothing for it, he would have to find a way to speak to Princess Cynburga, but there was no way she would confess. He would have to be cunning.</p><p class="indented">“Will you stay here and be good?” He asked Arthur dully, knowing he wouldn’t. A bolt of inspiration struck him. “Princess Cynburga wants you to stay here, and she wants you to not make a mess for a change.”</p><p class="indented">“My love?” Arthur whirled to him looking very dewy eyed and pink cheeked, and Merlin pursed his lips and almost threw his book at the prince’s fat head.</p><p class="indented">“Yes, your <em>love</em>,” Merlin gritted out. “So how about it?”</p><p class="indented">“Whatever she desires,” Arthur proclaimed grandly, standing up and posing ridiculously, “be it the moon from the sky, or the light of the stars themselves, shining on the waves of the bluest sea-”</p><p class="indented">He was still talking as Merlin left the room and locked the door behind him. Words of promise and grand deeds were only partially muffled by the wooden door, and Merlin let himself rest his forehead against it for just a moment. It wasn’t <em>fair. </em>One of the guards flanking Arthur’s chambers gave him consoling a pat on the back.</p><p class="indented">“Thanks Rolf,” he sniffed, feeling very foolish indeed. It was always much easier when love spells made Arthur act like a prat, which they usually did. Straightening his shoulders he triple checked his book was well hidden in the laundry basket he had used to carry it here in the first place. Uselessly, since Arthur gave him no further clues.</p><p class="indented">It was late enough that the castle halls were largely empty, and he only nodded at the few guards and servants he did see. The moon was bright and high, and he wondered if Arthur was still thinking about pulling it down for Princess Cynburga. He scowled at the moon out of a window as he walked by. Stupid moon. Stupid princes, stupid princesses.</p><p class="indented">“I didn’t figure anything new out,” he said to Gaius, kicking the door shut. “He’s still being all lovey dovey, but I think he’ll stay put. I’m not sure he could figure out how to open a locked door right now anyway, twitterpated as he is.”</p><p class="indented">Gaius raised his eyebrow at Merlin just like always, just like he had before Merlin had left that evening.</p><p class="indented">“You already know my thoughts on it,” he said judgmentally, “and how love spells are <em>usually</em> dissolved. It worked once before.”</p><p class="indented">He felt his face heat like coals and he refused to meet Gaius’s eyes. Merlin had managed to break each and every spell without resorting to <em>that </em>ever since the first one. Arthur never did remember, so it shouldn’t matter so much. Yet it did.</p><p class="indented">Once might be a lucky break, a coincidence.</p><p class="indented">Twice would utterly shatter Merlin’s carefully constructed shell of denial.</p><p class="indented">“Well in the morning I’m going to have to try and corner the princess, see what she has to say about this. It must have been her - it’s not a first sight one, Arthur saw tons of people before her today.” In truth Arthur had seen most of the castle today. The celebrations for his birthday had brought lords and ladies from all over, as well as their servants, as well as entertainers, as well as crowds from town who wanted to gawk at the spectacle. If it wasn’t Princess Cynburga Merlin wasn’t sure <em>what </em>he would do.</p><p class="indented">“As you say,” Gaius sighed.</p><p class="indented">No matter how he twisted and turned Merlin couldn’t seem to get comfortable on his little cot, guilt coiling in his belly. He might be able to get rid of the spell right now, if only he weren’t such a wretched coward.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><div class="ql-scene-break">
  <p>***</p>
</div><p class=""> </p><p class="">The morning came regardless of his feelings on the matter, as it always did.</p><p class="indented">He did his chores as quickly as he could, and imposed on George to take over minding Arthur for the day. It wasn’t like everyone in the castle other than Uther hadn’t already figured out the prince was under a love spell anyway, so there was no harm in it. He might never be best friends with George, but they shared a commiserating smile as they judiciously didn’t talk about it, which was how the castle staff handled most magic things. Merlin would take care of it.</p><p class="indented">Princess Cynburga was not in the banquet hall breaking her fast.</p><p class="indented">She was not watching the knights with the other crowd of ladies, colorful dresses bright in the summer sun. A cheer went up as a lance shattered, and Merlin took off. Arthur was a better horseman than any of them.</p><p class="indented">She was not with Morgana, who merely blinked at him amused, and suggested he check the gardens with a knowing tone.</p><p class="indented">Gwen chased after him when he refused to meet her eyes and grabbed him by the elbow, turning him to face her. “Merlin,” she said gently, “is it a love spell again?”</p><p class="indented">“Oh, of course it is,” he tried to sound more lighthearted than he was, “though goodness knows why people keep trying!”</p><p class="indented">“Yes, it is foolish of them, isn’t it - since you always manage to break them,” she smiled sweetly up at him.</p><p class="indented">“That’s not what I meant,” he protested weakly. “I mean, who’d want to marry Arthur. The prat.” He coughed. “And I hardly have anything to do with breaking any spells.”</p><p class="indented">“Of course,” Gwen demurred kindly, shuffling her feet awkwardly. “You know if there is anything I can do to help…”</p><p class="indented">Merlin felt his heart lunge up into his throat. “Yeah-yeah-yes-of course!” He laughed, feeling tormented. “I know, Gwen, thank you. You’re a star, I’ll tell you if, uhm. I’ll tell you.” The back of his neck felt scorching hot, and he knew his ears were giving him away, red, red, red.</p><p class="indented">“Because we are friends, Merlin, you can talk to me about anything,” she continued earnestly. “I know it must be hard, I <em>completely </em>understand how you feel, I myself-”</p><p class="indented">“I have to find the princess!” He interrupted rudely, all but sprinting away. He can hear Gwen saying something behind him, but he can’t make it out over the buzzing in his ears. He makes his way to the garden, not thinking about Arthur at all.</p><p class="indented">Not even a little bit.</p><p class="indented">None.</p><p class="indented">Around the corner of the great stone wall that gates the garden he narrowly avoids a collision with a very pretty lady in a rich ochre dress, spinning wildly so he doesn’t trample her. “I’m sorry,” he gasps out, throwing his hands out to catch himself before he falls and embarrasses himself even further. He’s slightly out of breath from his nerves, and must make for a sorry sight.</p><p class="indented">“No harm was done,” she laughs lightly, and she seems genuine. Her pretty green eyes sparkle with mirth, and the lady’s maid following her merely hides a smile behind her hand. There is none of the meek subservience that Merlin has seen in so many other servants, and he thinks this lady must be a kind one.</p><p class="indented">“Still I beg your pardon, my lady,” and he mangles a little bow.</p><p class="indented">“Evorild, please.”</p><p class="indented">“Lady Evorild,” Merlin says, feeling a little calmer already.</p><p class="indented">“You’re Prince Arthur’s manservant, aren’t you?” She asks politely, her hands a pretty nut gold color under the bright sun where they twist in front of her cinched waist. A ring gleams on one elegant finger, the same hue of green as her extraordinary eyes. He nods, and she continues. “Only, I cannot help but wonder, is it true that he is taken with the Princess Cynburga? I’m <em>sorry</em>,” she plows ahead, burying her face in her hands before he can even attempt to answer, “it is uncouth of me to gossip, I-I must beg your pardon.”</p><p class="indented">And just like that she is gone in a snap of her shoes against the stone, around the great gate, with a maid frantically hopping after her. He clicks his mouth shut. What?</p><p class="indented">This has been a very odd day, even for him.</p><p class="indented">He doesn’t want Lady Evorild to be in love with Arthur <em>as well</em>, how terrible - the picture of grace and beauty that she was, he knew any man would count himself lucky to have her eye. Arthur could certainly do no better. Prat. He sighed, pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes until he saw spots.</p><p class="indented">“Did she say anything about me?” A bush hisses at him, and he shrieks.</p><p class="indented">“<em>Aaah!” </em>The bush hushes him violently, and a hand reaches out to grab him, he darts out of reach, heartbeat thumping staccato in his ears.</p><p class="indented">“Do you want all the guards to come, are you crazy?!” Cries the bush.</p><p class="indented">“<em>Yes!</em>” Merlin insists, taking another long step back.</p><p class="indented">“Yes the guards or yes you’re crazy?” And Merlin isn’t sure. Probably both. “Just get in here,” and he can see one brown eye looking out at him - is it?</p><p class="indented">“Princess Cynburga?” He says slowly, as though she is a horse who might get spooked and throw him. Hearing no answer he takes a breath and resigns himself to whatever comes next. At least this isn’t a bush with thorns.</p><p class="indented">Merlin has learned to appreciate the little things ever since he came to Camelot.</p><p class="indented">The leaves are soft against his hands as he finds a way in, and he sees there is a good amount of space for one to hide - the bushes and flowers are arranged in a pretty circle, and the center is hollow. It smells lovely and earthy, and he commits it to memory. This will be an excellent spot for a nap in the future when Arthur wants to attempt to teach Merlin to wield a sword via the method of beating Merlin with a sword. On the other hand sometimes in the summer he gets sweaty and panting and takes his shirt off right in front of the gods and everyone and also Merlin, so maybe not.</p><p class="indented">Princess Cynburga is huddled in the middle, looking rather crazy herself. Leaves dot her hair and her fine blue dress is twisted and dusty, but it’s the defeated look on her face that gives Merlin pause. This doesn’t look like a woman whose triumphant plan was going well.</p><p class="indented">“Well?” She prompts him, looking dodgy, “did she say anything about me?”</p><p class="indented">“Uhm, well, she asked if it was true that Prince Arthur was taken with you, but then she left before I could answer.”</p><p class="indented">“Oh, did she?” She perks up, and then deflates again, “but perhaps-<em>ugh,</em>” she says nonsensically, and pulls on her already mussed hair. She hides her face in her knees for a long while as Merlin fidgets. “What if she loves him?” She croaks out eventually.</p><p class="indented">“Arthur? I thought <em>you</em>- I mean? With the? Uhm,” and he makes a gesture that might mean drinking a potion, or might mean something a lot more lewd, and he flings his hands down to his sides before she can look up and see him and demand his head be chopped off.</p><p class="indented">“What? Oh, no, I just-” she moans, “ugh, it’s so stupid, I’m so <em>stupid.</em> I don’t know what I was thinking!”</p><p class="indented">“Maybe I can help?” He offers, hoping that she’s willing to spill her torment onto a pair of-admittedly large-listening ears.</p><p class="indented">She looks at him, blinking her huge brown eyes, before letting out one last gusty sigh. “I love her so much,” she complains, “and I thought she loved me too! But she said we couldn’t be together, and she stopped replying to any of my letters, and there was a witch in the market-that’s the only reason I thought of it, I swear-and she was selling love potions! I couldn’t bring myself to use it on her, I don’t want a false love! But I thought, maybe if someone really grand like Prince Arthur loved me maybe she’d get jealous and love me again.” She hid her face in her knees again, her wet voice cracking. “She used to call me Cynna,” she says achingly sadly, barely over a whisper, and Merlin feels a lot of his ire disappear.</p><p class="indented">Unrequited love was terrible to endure after all.</p><p class="indented">“Oh, I’m sorry,” he patted her back gently, “but are you so sure she doesn’t love you? Love isn’t so easy to fall out of in my experience.”</p><p class="indented">“She said we couldn’t be together because she’s too low born,” the princess said, “and I told her I didn’t care! I gave her a ring and everything, but she won’t even look at me anymore.”</p><p class="indented">“A ring with a green stone?”</p><p class="indented">“The color of her beautiful eyes,” she wailed.</p><p class="indented">“But she was still wearing it! She was, I saw it just now! If she truly didn’t love you why would she still be wearing the ring?” Merlin grabbed her shoulders and shook her, feeling very swept up in the fervor of the moment.</p><p class="indented">“She was?! But, she said we couldn’t be together! She is only from a minor house, but I would have no other. I thought she had grown tired of gossip, that she was sick of me.” Cynburga clutched back at him, her hair standing up on all ends in a frizzy halo from where she’d been tugging at it.</p><p class="indented">“What gossip?” Merlin begged. “Maybe someone said something?”</p><p class="indented">“That she was a fortune hunter,” she scoffed, “I know she’s not though, it should not worry her so. We’ve known each other since we were children, all that is mine is hers <em>already, </em>if she’d only just accept me.”</p><p class="indented">Merlin felt he know a tiny bit what she might feel. What the both of them might feel, at that. All of Merlin was Arthur's already, after all, if only he could accept him. “Our worries are not so easily dismissed,” he cautioned her. “Lady Evorild might fear she’ll damage your reputation. That you could make a better match,” he looked away from her, finding the sunlight breaking through the canopy of leaves unbearably interesting suddenly. “She’s probably afraid. Of a lot of things. That you would be lowering yourself to be with her. That you wouldn’t be happy. Or maybe she has magic and she’s afraid you’ll hate her,” he mutters.</p><p class="indented">“But that’s nonsense! Nothing in the entire world makes me happier than she does - no wealth, no person, no anything, and I couldn’t give a toss if she had magic!”</p><p class="indented">“You must tell her so,” Merlin said, nodding firmly, looking at a particularly green leaf and trying not to cry, “before you both go home and are parted again.”</p><p class="indented">“I will,” she shouted, throwing her arms around him and getting to her feet, only to sit back down as she hits the branches above. “Ouch.”</p><p class="indented">“Oh, but first,” he remembered finally, “how do you break the spell on Arthur?”</p><p class="indented">“I’m sorry,” she said woefully, “I wasn’t thinking about anyone but myself. It’s true love’s kiss that will break it. Please, does he have a true love? I’m so sorry for what I’ve done,” she bites her lip, perhaps finally realising what trouble she’d caused.</p><p class="indented"><em>Of course it is,</em> he thinks.</p><p class="indented">“He does,” Merlin reassured her, “so don’t worry too terribly. Go find your own love,” he did his best to smile at her as she gave him a kiss on the cheek, beaming and glowing with joy.</p><p class="indented">He stayed in the bush for a while longer after she departed. He wiped her lip paint off of his cheek with the cuff of his shirt and allowed himself the comfort of a few useless tears, listening to the distant roar of the merriment just outside and feeling very set apart from it. When he fought his way clumsily out of the bush Rolf was there with his back to the hiding spot, making sure no one else approached.</p><p class="indented">“Thought you might need a minute,” he said kindly. “We heard your shout, but seems like everything’s under control.”</p><p class="indented">“Oh, yes,” he said weakly. “Thank you.”</p><p class="indented">“We’ll always come if you need help. And don’t worry, you’ll have him back to normal in no time,” the guard reassured him, “and none too soon. All the poetry is doing my head in.”</p><p class="indented">Merlin swallowed thickly, and managed to make a thin noise of agreement before he hobbled away.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><div class="ql-scene-break">
  <p>***</p>
</div><p class=""> </p><p class="">He wasn’t even this nervous to go in Arthur’s chambers the first day of his service. As a matter of fact he was a great deal less nervous - at that point he didn’t care at all what Arthur thought of him. It might have even been a bit fun to rile him up.</p><p class="indented">Alright, he could admit it was still fun. He wasn’t a saint and he’d never pretended to be one.</p><p class="indented">The walk there took about four times longer than normal, as he would stop and turn around every third step, only to steel himself and continue, over and over.</p><p class="indented">He shouldn’t be so fearful. It would work, that wasn’t it - it had worked before. He had gathered so many ladies to give Arthur a kiss to break that spell, and none of them could. He was lucky that Gwen was the only one who lingered there to see <em>him</em> break it, even though everyone seemed to know now anyway. The tent had a lot of gaps for nosy nellies, after all. But Gwen was far too noble and good of a friend to spill his secrets before he was ready, and so she’d never brought it up again.</p><p class="indented">And Arthur remained none the wiser.</p><p class="indented">His door seemed huge and imposing as Merlin arrived, unable to delay any longer. It wasn’t Rolf outside the doors of course, patrolling this morning as he was, but Merlin knew all of them by now.</p><p class="indented">“Morning, Merlin, and good luck my lad!” Osgar greeted him cheerfully, and opened the door for him before he could invent a reason not to go in.</p><p class="indented">Arthur was staring out the window again, an unusual droop in his normally pristine posture, practically in the same position as last night. Merlin wondered if he slept there. At the sound of the door opening and Merlin’s footsteps he perked up like a hunting dog catching a scent, whipping around to look at the doorway.</p><p class="indented">“Oh, it’s you,” he said morosely, and slumped back to the window at once. “I thought it might have been Princess Cynburga, my love, my heart, my-”</p><p class="indented">“Yes, I know,” Merlin bit out. “But she did ask me to give you something.”</p><p class="indented">Arthur strode over to him, casting his eyes over Merlin from the tips of toes to his messy hair. He couldn’t help but wonder what Arthur saw. He hadn’t gotten a haircut since winter, and he had barely slept last night. There were leaves clinging to his clothes, and a smear of red paint on his cuff. Arthur looked as he always did, of course.</p><p class="indented">Every bit the handsome prince.</p><p class="indented">“Well, what is it?” He demanded, eager and impatient. “What wonders has my love-”</p><p class="indented">“You have to close your eyes,” Merlin spoke loudly over him. “And hold still.”</p><p class="indented">Under the spell Arthur didn’t question it at all, merely let his eyes fall closed, docile. He thought he would have enjoyed a more pliant Arthur, but he found he did not. His dark gold eyelashes rested softly against his cheeks, and Merlin looked his fill, afraid suddenly for some reason that it might be the last time. It would be a different Arthur who opened his eyes regardless.</p><p class="indented">He could not put it off any longer.</p><p class="indented">It wasn’t any scarier than a dragon, or a hydra certainly. He could do this.</p><p class="indented">He had done this before.</p><p class="indented">Feeling suddenly angry at his own cowardice he lurched forward and fervently slotted their lips together. He made a sort of strangled noise into Arthur’s mouth, feeling overwhelmed, let his hands clench in the fabric of Arthur’s tunic so he wouldn’t fall straight over. He pulled back and let their breath mingle for a moment before he stepped away quickly, red as a strawberry.</p><p class="indented">It was always strange to watch Arthur wake from enchantments. Nothing really happened, but something in Merlin’s magic always knew, could always recognise the bright light in his blue eyes. <em>Ah, there you are, I missed you</em>, it seemed to say.</p><p class="indented">The spark came back to him, and he brought one of his large capable hands to touch his bottom lip, looking dizzy.</p><p class="indented">“Merlin,” he says, his voice rough. “Merlin, what?”</p><p class="indented">“We should get you ready if you want to catch any of the tourney,” Merlin said, and he knew his own voice, and knew had never heard it sound like that before. “It’s been an exciting day, I think Sir Leon might win the lance-”</p><p class="indented">“<em>Merlin</em>,” Arthur said more urgently, gripping him by the wrist. “Did you just kiss me?” He asked desperately.</p><p class="indented">He couldn’t seem to summon an answer. To tell the truth or to lie, and instead he said nothing, stuttering and gaping foolishly, squirming in Arthur’s grip. The prince didn’t <em>remember </em>last time. He didn’t feel prepared for this.</p><p class="indented">“Did you kiss me before?” And he shook Merlin’s wrist, but gently, and the warlock had never quite heard this voice from Arthur, either, something unnameable. “Did you? Tell me.”</p><p class="indented">“I did,” he whispers, unable to lie.</p><p class="indented">“I thought-” Arthur shook his head, blinking, “I thought I dreamed that.”</p><p class="indented">“You dreamed about kissing me?” Merlin finds it easier to tease than to be genuine, trying to laugh it off. Giving the prince the chance to deny it.</p><p class="indented">“So what if I did?” And this is truly Arthur again, the sharp glint in his eyes and the challenging jut of his chin. He still hasn’t let go of Merlin’s wrist. “Why didn’t you tell me? It was a love spell, wasn’t it?”</p><p class="indented">“How… how did you know?”</p><p class="indented">“Merlin, I might hit my head a lot, but there are still limits. I started catching on eventually, is this the fifth time?”</p><p class="indented">“Seventh,” Merlin admits weakly. “This year, at least.”</p><p class="indented">“And you break them? By kissing me?” He pressed, looking wild and manic.</p><p class="indented">“Sometimes.” Merlin turns to peer out the window as to not see him, to instead see the clear cloudless sky, but Arthur just maneuvers himself so they <em>have</em> to look at each other, because of course he does.</p><p class="indented">“Because you’re my one true love?” His eyes are wide and blue and Merlin nearly chokes on nothing.</p><p class="indented">“Who-how? What? How do you know that? Who told you that?”</p><p class="indented">“I’ve heard <em>stories </em>before, Merlin, I had a nanny you know. Lots of them.” <em>Stories or nannies</em>, Merlin wonders. His voice is low, and somehow they are standing awfully close together. He slinks closer still. “Why didn’t you tell me?”</p><p class="indented">He can’t seem to find a single acceptable answer, even though there are dozens.</p><p class="indented">“Do you hate me so much?” Arthur smells lovely, Merlin distantly notes before the words sink in.</p><p class="indented">“No! I just-I’m a servant-”</p><p class="indented">“When have you ever cared about that before?” Arthur noses along his cheek, breathing in, not quite kissing him. His thumbs rub circles where he still holds Merlin’s wrist, where the other slides under the edge of his tunic.</p><p class="indented">“I’m also a warlock,” it just spills out of him, just like that. He closes his eyes.</p><p class="indented">“Oh,” Arthur says inanely, and sits down heavily on his window ledge. “Well, I can see how that might pose a bit of a hiccup, yes.”</p><p class="indented">“And we have a destiny,” Merlin continues, secrets spilling out of him like a waterfall.</p><p class="indented">“Destiny?” Arthur exhales, pulling Merlin closer.</p><p class="indented">“Two sides of the same coin,” he nods.</p><p class="indented">“Are we?” and his voice is laden with promises and something that Merlin wants to call hope. “Are we-" and he stumbles on the words, looking embarrassed for the first time that Merlin can recall, but hungry for something nonetheless, steaming ahead, “<em>soulmates</em>?”</p><p class="indented">It almost makes him laugh, how young and oddly anticipatory Arthur looks. Truth be told he’s not sure they <em>are </em>soulmates because he’s not sure that soulmates really exist. But he does feel that he was cleaved in half and only made whole once he met Arthur, as dramatic and terrible as that sounds. He found his heart and his purpose in Camelot, in this man, and maybe that was answer enough.</p><p class="indented">“I don’t know,” he says instead,“but if they are real then I think maybe we are.”</p><p class="indented">“Me too,” Arthur agrees more confidently, standing once again to pull Merlin further into his arms, smiling at him like he can’t help it, open and genuine and <em>beautiful</em>. “Was it because of the magic that you didn’t tell me? Were you afraid?”</p><p class="indented">“I didn’t want you to send me away,” Merlin confesses.</p><p class="indented">“How could I? We have a <em>destiny,</em>” and he sounds so gleeful that Merlin can’t help but hide his grin in Arthur’s shoulder. A child who listened to too many adventure stories from his over indulgent nanny, he can picture it now. Slaying of dragons and true loves kiss. Soulmates.</p><p class="indented">“You’d get a really big kick out of the dragon,” Merlin thinks out loud.</p><p class="indented">“The what?” Arthur blinks owlishly at him.</p><p class="indented">“Kiss me,” Merlin orders instead, and Arthur listens to him for maybe the first time in his whole life while not under an enchantment.</p><p class="indented">When they leave his chambers to go visit the dragon some long time later Osgar gives Merlin a thumbs up, and Arthur leans over to mutter in his ear, “What was that all about?”</p><p class="indented">“I’ll tell you about it after,” Merlin promises, and waves happily back at the guard, who is already leaning in to whisper to a passing maid. Oh well, maybe this will deter some of the love spells. Although if not he can just kiss Arthur better.</p><p class="indented">Frequently, just to be sure. Maintenance, really.</p><p class="indented">An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure after all.</p><p class="indented"> </p><p class=""> </p><p class=""> </p><p class=""> </p><p class=""> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading, and I appreciate any feedback so much! I hope you enjoyed it!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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